A Salute To Those Of You Who Weren’t Jerks On Planes

A lot of people are relieved that they no longer have to wear masks on flights. That does not mean they were not effective and that they were not necessary.

Let’s start with the fact that initially, the science wasn’t in on what could or couldn’t infect you. It’s now shown that the filtration systems on airlines are very efficient at filtering out the virus. Now, shallow thinkers will use this as evidence that they were never necessary and that is still not correct to this day. 

For the COVID virus to be effectively filtered out of the air, it has to first get into the air treatment system. In the meantime, it’s floating in the air. This means that the little spigot blowing air on you has been found to be over 99% safe at trapping the virus. This does not mean that the person sitting next to you, walking down the aisle, or sneezing behind you is safe. This is to say, once again, that an infected person might not infect a whole plane, but they sure as heck could have infected the people in their immediate vicinity.

I still go back to the simplest of demonstrations. Just take a spray bottle in your house. Spray it in the air. Now walk through that mist. You will probably be able to smell it and feel some of the moisture (for a while you’ll even be able to see it). This is the plainest, simplest way to show how things can stay airborne.

I am unmasked for almost all situations, but the other day I had to go into a small interview room. I’m talking about four by eight-foot at most with standard ceilings. While I was in there with someone I didn’t know, I wore an N95 mask. As I made my way into the main, spacious room with high ceilings, I immediately took off my mask.

Anyways, I wanted to take a moment and thank those of you who had the respect and empathy for your fellow passengers to wear a mask without behaving like a giant toddler. If you thought masks were b.s. and still wore one without complaining, you deserve an even bigger thank you for putting everyone around you at ease. I certainly hope we never have to go through anything like this again, but if we do, it's good to know some people will be good humans.